Grounding shroud for surface mounted electrical connector

A conductive ground shroud (50) includes an electrically conductive plate-like body 52 having first and second portions, (54, 62) the first portion (54) adapted to be disposed on a board remote surface (26) of the connector housing. The second portion is configured to extend over the surface mountable contact sections (42) when the shroud (50) is disposed on housing (24). The second portion (62) includes at least one second contact section (70) extending outwardly from it for engagement to ground circuitry of circuit board (80). The second portion further includes at least one elongated aperture (64) extending through it proximate the surface mountable contact sections (40). Upon disposing the shroud (50) on connector (22 ), mounting the connector (22) and shroud (50) to circuit board (80) and soldering the surface mountable contact sections (42) to corresponding circuit pads (84) on board, aperture (64) permits sufficient heat generated during the soldering process to reach contact pads (84) to melt the solder thereby assuring electrical engagement of contact sections (42) with corresponding pads (84).